New Policy Puts an End to Lunch Shaming

Lunch shaming is something that school students have been facing for a long time. Often there pops up a new story that highlights the story of the child who has been denied lunch in the school cafeteria. When the child does not have enough money to pay for it, this is a common thing practiced by the authorities. In many cases, the child is given the food in the first place and then when he/she is unable to pay, they are forced to throw the food away. Sometimes, they are handed over a cheese sandwich instead of the items listed in the menu.

Such practices have been followed all over the country and experts are saying that it is shaming students badly. There have been reports, that in some places students are asked to clean tables as a compensation and then they would be served their meal. Sometimes the students are also having psychological effects that are harmful to them. To solve this issue, New Mexico passed the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights. According to this bill, not a single child will be denied lunch when they are in the lunch line, irrespective of the fact they have the money or not in hand or account. The New Mexico School Nutrition Association and New Mexico Appleseed were in favor of this decision. They said that the school authorities must find a way to collect the meal debt and this is not the procedure.

In support of this protest against lunch shaming, Greece Central School District has decided to provide free lunch and breakfast to all students. The district falls under Community Eligibility Provision in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program. Any school that falls under a certain limit of poverty will be eligible for CEP. This new norm will come into action in the next academic year. 4 other schools joined with the same agenda. Longridge, Lakeshore, English Village and West Ridge elementary school will offer free meals to students irrespective of the economic background of the families.

As per the reports of Greece's Board of Education, in 2017-18 there was only a single donation that could cleat the lunch debt. Some anonymous donor made a donation of $1500. The authorities say that usually, such donations happens few times a year which is not always enough to clear the debts.

In June, the step was taken by the Greece school board members. They all together voted against this action and said that this shaming should stop for the sake of the students. It is the inability on the parent’s part that they are unable to pay for the food. Penalizing the children for something they have nothing to do with is not the right decision. The experience is definitely horrifying for the students as they suffer for no wrong from their end. As per the verdict, the employees serving in the cafeteria cannot "publicly identify or stigmatize any student in line for a meal or discuss any outstanding meal debt in the presence of any other students." Due to a negative balance, there will no discrimination made on the choices of the meal provided to the students. The verdict also says that no food should be thrown away due to the payment and no kids should be manipulated, threatened or forced to do so. The payment related issues will be directly sorted out with parents or guardians who are taking the financial responsibility of the student.

New York asks for a written plan

As per the law of Prohibition Against Meal Shaming in New York, the school authorities who are taking the responsibility of food in the schools should provide a written plan that the students are entitled to pay for lunch or breakfast. The students must not face harassment when there would be a written plan. If there is a need to inform the parents regarding the payment then the way should be something else. The state has declared that the schools need to submit the plans to the state Education Department and thereby needs to publish the same plan online. In case, the plans are not submitted, any food related reimbursements will be not be granted.

At the beginning of the year, only the Hilton Central School District approved on the fact that all students irrespective of the balance would be able to have hot lunch and that was given in writing. But the same path is now followed by Brighton, Gates Chili, West Irondequoit, Penfield, and Greece has signed up for it.

As per the reports, the parents are appreciating this change. They say that this flexibility was required not every time there is a financial crisis. The low balance gets non-notified by parents and the accounts go into negative balance. But when that becomes a reason for the children not getting food, that is highly disappointing. Some districts though offer alternate meals but that is not applicable for all. The reports of West Irondequoit in the year 2017-18 reported a deficit of $5000 out the total budget of $1.2 million.

The policies of different schools

Penfield Central School District has decided that the unpaid meal charges will be notified to the parents or guardians within four days and the reminder would be given every two weeks.

Gates Chili has a deficit of $700 from unpaid meals. They have decided that the negative balance of the account will stay between the team of food and the parents. The children won’t be bothered about it.

The Webster Central School District does not have any written policy. The students will be charged $15 for hot lunches and the high school students will be charged $10 dollars. After that the exhaustion of that amount, the students would be given an alternative meal.

Fairport Central School District has decided to offer meals to the students regardless of the account balance and the amount charged would be sent to parents through text messages in phone or through email.

Lunch shaming is a serious issue that was to be handled with caution. The food and nutrients are the basic necessities and the child thereby should not be deprived of it.